Australian state fast-tracks approval of 1.64 GW of battery storage
The Victorian government recently approved four renewable energy projects with a combined 1.64 GW of battery energy storage capacity through its Development Facilitation Program (DFP) which launched in 2024 amid promises to accelerate planning approvals for clean energy projects.
The approved projects comprise a wind-and-battery development and three grid-scale batteries, including the 100 MW and up to 400 MWh capacity Chivers Road battery energy storage system (BESS) proposed by infrastructure developer Pacific Partnerships.
The AUD 130 million ($89.7 million) Chivers Road battery will be built on the site of Pacific Partnerships’ 130 MW Glenrowan Solar Farm, located near the town of the same name in northern Victoria.
Pacific Partnerships said the new battery energy storage system will have the capacity to power 34,500 homes, storing surplus solar generation during off-peak periods for release during evening demand peaks.
“The Chivers Road BESS aims to bolster the solar farm’s capacity to store and dispatch renewable energy, supporting grid stability and maximising the benefits of solar generation,” the company said.
The approved projects also included the AUD 1.3 billion Morwell battery project being developed in the Latrobe Valley by TagEnergy, which acquired the project from Australian developer Ace Power in mid-2025.
The proposed project is listed as a 620 MW/2,480 MWh battery system but the ministerial permit documents provide approval for up to 1,000 MW/4,000 MWh capacity.
The Morwell battery is expected to reach financial close by the end of 2027 with construction anticipated to commence soon after. It is expected to be operational in late 2029.
The round of planning approvals also includes the Nine Mile Energy Park being developed near Geelong by Pacific Green in partnership with Green Switch Energy.
Consisting of two co-located batteries, the $600 million Nine Mile project will feature a 250 MW/500 MWh capacity energy storage system and a 250 MW/1,000 MWh capacity battery. Construction is slated to begin in early 2027 with operations targeted for late 2028.
The fourth project to secure planning approval is the $388 million Gelliondale Wind Farm being developed by Synergy Wind in Victoria’s southeast. The project is to include an 80 MW wind farm backed by a 40 MW battery energy storage system.
The state government said approval of the four developments means more than 30 renewable energy projects worth a combined AUD 11 billion have been approved through the DFP since the program was expanded in 2024 to include renewable energy projects, making them eligible for an accelerated pathway, and removing the planning panel process and third-party appeals.
Victoria Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny said the changes aimed to avoid leaving important projects tied up for years in the approvals process. The government estimates that before the expansion of the program, more than one in five applications for renewable energy programs had ended up delayed in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, in some cases blowing out their timelines by two years.
“We’re making good decisions faster so Victorians can benefit from cheaper renewable energy sooner,” Kilkenny said.
More about
Written by
Popular Posts
